spaceman Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 Kid 1: -boy -entering 3rd grade next year -attends an alternative school without grades or standardized testing -teacher says he is "above grade level across the board" -...however doing his grade level Singapore Math has been hard for him (and he hasn't completed 2A...yet, we also haven't really been pushing it at all) -my same age nephew could run circles around him in math (attends public school) -doesn't know math facts by memory (but can add, subtract, multiply, and divide) -likes the idea of algebra and algebra games (hands on equations--the few intro lessons we've done, and dragonbox) -his self-esteem is tied to being good at math...but I'm not sure that he is -wants to be a physicist when he grows up -language skills seems fine -handwriting is a mess -he learned cursive this year...also a mess -loves computers and science -plays piano and loves music Kid 2: -girl -entering kindergarten next year -reads middle-level bob books -prefers learning sight words, because it's easier and faster--knows a lot of them -her school teaches writing/spelling before reading -writes "b" for both d and b (and there is a d in her name) -kids her age in other classes of the school write significantly better than her, and I think it's because her teachers disn't put any effort into showing the pre-k kids to write at all. BUT, she does it anyway all the time, spelling whatever she wants to write, writing stories, etc. and she writes most letters incorrectly -I used OPGTR with my first when he was in kindergarten and I think that is the only reason that he read very well by 1st grade...the other kids in his class did not have reading skills anywhere close to his -I have used OPGTR with her every now and then over the last year or so...she's on lesson 62. She hates this book. I am willing to make her do it anyway. I'm also willing to bribe her to do it. -very intuitive with math, will often say, "x and y makes z, right?" and she is always correct -teachers say she is very good at math and avoids language instruction -can count to 100 no problem (learned a year ago or so) and understands quantity to the thousands -likes animals, organizing, and art -plays violin and loves music Both kids are "old" for their grades. I work. Thanks for any suggestions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tm919 Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 Your son is older than my daughters so the only thing that comes to mind is the math facts: My older daughter has learned most of them through xtramath and times tales. I'm not particularly fond of either but they seem to work. For Kid 2 (about the same age as my older daughter): (1) Think about trying The Reading Lesson. My younger daughter hated 100 EZ lessons but liked this one -- it might be too "young" for your daughter now, but the first three lessons are free: http://readinglesson.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/The-Reading-Lesson-1-to-3.pdf(2) I used HWT with my older daughter (now 5.5) and her handwriting is decent. I still sit there and correct her when she does it "wrong" (mostly this is wrapping her thumb around the pencil). I also taught her Peterson directed cursive at her request and she prefers writing in cursive now, but I make her keep up her manuscript because she needs it in school. I have no suggestions on the math -- my daughters aren't particularly strong in math. We've used Saxon mixed with random worksheets and Life of Fred, and it's "ok," but it sounds like both of your children could use more. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spaceman Posted May 24, 2015 Author Share Posted May 24, 2015 Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 Kid 1: -boy -entering 3rd grade next year -attends an alternative school without grades or standardized testing -teacher says he is "above grade level across the board" -...however doing his grade level Singapore Math has been hard for him (and he hasn't completed 2A...yet, we also haven't really been pushing it at all) -my same age nephew could run circles around him in math (attends public school) Wow, that would be frustrating for me to see. My kids in public school are both doing ahead of the Singapore math for their grade, and they are technically "at grade level". I.e. K-er does Singapore 1B, that is what her school does in K, and she gets a "3" which is "meets expectations" (not "exceeds"). So it does not surprise me that a public school cousin can run circles around a kid who doesn't have strong math facts. Understanding division conceptually is okay, but until you know the facts at least to some extent, even if you don't do speed drills, it's hard to use it on very large numbers. -doesn't know math facts by memory (but can add, subtract, multiply, and divide) Beast Academy puzzles are GREAT for this. Great. Repetitive but the logic is new in each one. My daughter got her math facts through BA 3B. -likes the idea of algebra and algebra games (hands on equations--the few intro lessons we've done, and dragonbox) -his self-esteem is tied to being good at math...but I'm not sure that he is Read Carol Dweck's Mindset and get to work on the language she uses. This is your summer reading. I would be concerned about a kid whose self-esteem is tied to performance rather than character, because performance is, to some extent, out of his control. -wants to be a physicist when he grows up -language skills seems fine Read the newspaper and write about it. -handwriting is a mess -he learned cursive this year...also a mess -loves computers and science Loves programming or loves using a computer? A computer is the most sophisticated consumption device ever created. It is also the most sophisticated creation device, but few use it that way. And "loving computers" as I'm sure you know, is not the same as being talented at using them. I'd suggest some basic programming, like using a Lego robot creator, to get him into basic programming if he likes that. That could be a great project for your family. -plays piano and loves music Kid 2: -girl -entering kindergarten next year -reads middle-level bob books -prefers learning sight words, because it's easier and faster--knows a lot of them -her school teaches writing/spelling before reading Is she at the same non-traditional school? -writes "b" for both d and b (and there is a d in her name) Extremely common in children up to 7, no matter what some education consultants would have you believe. -kids her age in other classes of the school write significantly better than her, and I think it's because her teachers disn't put any effort into showing the pre-k kids to write at all. BUT, she does it anyway all the time, spelling whatever she wants to write, writing stories, etc. and she writes most letters incorrectly -I used OPGTR with my first when he was in kindergarten and I think that is the only reason that he read very well by 1st grade...the other kids in his class did not have reading skills anywhere close to his -I have used OPGTR with her every now and then over the last year or so...she's on lesson 62. She hates this book. I am willing to make her do it anyway. I'm also willing to bribe her to do it. -very intuitive with math, will often say, "x and y makes z, right?" and she is always correct That seems normal particularly if you are talking about one digit up through 18. Does she know 10s? Singapore 1B could be a good start for her. -teachers say she is very good at math and avoids language instruction -can count to 100 no problem (learned a year ago or so) and understands quantity to the thousands -likes animals, organizing, and art -plays violin and loves music Both kids are "old" for their grades. I work. Thanks for any suggestions! General suggestions: I'm paying a nanny and assigning homework this summer, because camps they don't really keep a lot of their reading and math skills, and this way they can sleep in. So, that's how I'm doing the summer schooling. Nanny helps them try themselves, and mommy will go over concepts. Beast Academy has been great for my 2nd grader. I plan to get her through 3C and 3D this summer but it's a lot. I think two of those would be plenty for a summer. If he hasn't done A or B, I'd see about one and start from there. It's different than Singapore because my daughter was bored with that as well, but likes the puzzle structure of Beast Academy. Singapore is great for shoring up math skills until then. I would read, read, and read more with the little one. I don't really get writing without reading. It's a system. How can you follow the rules of the system without repetitive exposure to lots of the rules? Read and take turns. Let her fill in the blanks. It sounds like she gets systems so with tons of exposure she should start turning things around. Everyone in my kids' pre-school said that writing entire pages backwards was considered normal until about six, when it would START to turn around. I would expose to tons of reading. As much as possible. Story time, day and night. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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